


Lucky

by servantofclio



Series: Chances and Second Chances [1]
Category: Mass Effect
Genre: F/M, Pregnancy
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-10-25
Updated: 2013-10-25
Packaged: 2017-12-30 11:31:47
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,033
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1018101
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/servantofclio/pseuds/servantofclio
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A prequel to Second Chances, focusing on Shepard's life with Kaidan. Additional vignettes may follow here.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Lucky

**Lucky**

_Autumn, 2188_

 

The mission was complete, the team debriefed, even the reports filed before Kaidan took himself back to their little apartment. If he was going to be away from home for weeks at a time on missions from the Council, he wanted to make sure that work was _done_ before he got home. Leave work at work. It took him extra time, but it meant he got to enjoy his time at home with fewer distractions.

 

The door opened with a bit of a grinding sound before the door started moving. He made a mental note to take a look at it the next day. Everything was a little cobbled-together, not yet two years after the war, but he might be able to fix it himself.

 

The little advance notice meant his wife was struggling out of the couch as he came in. “There you are!” she said. “Welcome home.”

 

Kaidan took a moment, as always, to revel in the sight of Renee Shepard, smiling and lovely, even though she was wearing nothing special, just soft, comfortable clothes. His wife, of just a few months—he still counted himself the luckiest man in the galaxy, because she was here, she’d lived, against all the odds, and she’d agreed to give them another chance, to _marry_ him, even after all the suspicion and resentment that had separated them. And now—

 

He stopped in his tracks and blurted, “You’re bigger.”

 

Her face crumped into a scowl. “That is _not_ the first thing a woman wants to hear when she sees her husband after he’s been gone for three weeks.”

 

He ducked his head, embarrassed. “Sorry. I didn’t mean to--  it was just a surprise.”

 

“Yeah, well, the baby just keeps growing. I hear they’re supposed to do that.” She took a step toward him and winced as her weight shifted to her bad leg. Kaidan hastened toward her to lend a supporting arm, even while she grumbled, “I’m fine, I’m fine.”

 

“Sure you are.” He turned the movement into a hug, which she accepted readily. It was never a good idea to hover over her too visibly. He had his concerns, though. She’d been due for another surgery on that hip when they’d found out she was pregnant, and the doctors thought it was best to delay until she gave birth. He hoped they weren’t causing her more problems by postponing.

 

She eased back down to the couch, and he followed, curling his arm around her shoulders. “You’ve been okay here alone? Everything’s... everything’s okay?”

 

She snorted. “Alone? You think I’ve been alone? People keep stopping by. Traynor came over yesterday and made dinner. Dr. Chakwas calls every damn day, and she’s not even my obstetrician. And yeah, everything’s going well.” She put one hand on her rounded abdomen. “All happy and healthy in there.”

 

Kaidan watched the way her face softened, her eyes going distant. They’d talked about this. He’d encouraged her to daydream, back before the end of the war. She’d resisted, arguing that she needed to stay focused on the war.

 

“Are you sure?” he’d said. “Don’t lose sight of what you’re fighting _for_ , Shepard!”

 

Her whole expression had changed, like now. She’d looked away and changed the subject, but later, she’d started to open up, and they’d started to... not plan, really. Their hopes were too tentative for that. But it had been a start.

 

Afterward, when she’d finally woken up, she’d listened to her doctors describe the damage to her body with her face set. When they’d gone, she’d lain back on her pillow. “I’m going to walk again,” she’d said.

 

“I know you will,” he’d said. No doubt in his mind, really. Not after she’d cheated death twice.

 

“And...” she’d bitten her lip. “Did you mean it? Do you still want to...”

 

“Marry you? Absolutely.” He’d tightened his grip in her hand. “Whenever you want.”

 

“After I can walk again,” she’d said, resolute.

 

Over a year ago, now, and Kaidan saw her eyes go soft. “Can I?” he asked.

 

She blinked, refocusing. “Of course you can. It’s your kid, too.”

 

He laid his hand on the swell of her belly, firm and warm with life. No movement, which gave him a vague sense of disappointment, but still a miracle. No, the result of half a dozen miracles, at least, that put her here and alive and carrying their child. “We’re going to need a name.”

 

“Yeah. I was looking at names.” She pointed at the datapad lying on her other side. “I made a list, but there are too many girls’ names. It’s hard to settle.”

 

“I always liked Alison,” he said.

 

She wrinkled her nose. “I used that as an alias once.”

 

He started. “What?” She still came out with stuff like that so casually, adventures he’d never known about, which always gave him an odd twinge.

 

“There was this party—” She shook her head. “Long story.”

 

“We’ve got time.”

 

“Maybe later.” She took a deep breath. “I was thinking David, for a boy.”

 

He got it immediately. “That’s a great name. No better namesake than the Admiral.”

 

“I’m glad you agree.” She rested her head on his shoulder.

 

“David Shepard, then.”

 

He could feel her stiffen ever so slightly. “I was thinking David Alenko, actually.”

 

“Really? I mean... of course that would be fine. If you’re sure.”

 

“I think your parents would like it,” she said. “And... well... it’s a little... not so notorious.”

 

He hugged her closer. “We could give him Shepard for a middle name? Up to him whether he uses it, then. Or her.”

 

She was quiet for a moment. “David Shepard Alenko? Okay. That works.”

 

“That’s settled, then. We can keep thinking about a girl’s name.” He took in the feeling of holding her, her warm weight against his side, and then she poked him with an elbow.

 

“So what are you making your pregnant wife for dinner, Spectre?”

 

“Depends on what she wants.” He disentangled himself and headed for the kitchen. “Do we have any bacon?”

 

“Yeah, but I’m also supposed to eat vegetables,” she called back. Kaidan grinned to himself.

 

Yeah. He was the luckiest man in the galaxy.


End file.
